Lady Vols Struggle on the Glass in Historic Loss to Louisville
Saturday’s matchup in Brooklyn was supposed to be a measuring stick for the Lady Vols. Instead, it turned into a painful reminder of what happens when rebounding fundamentals break down against a high-energy opponent. Tennessee’s 89-65 loss to Louisville wasn’t just a tough night at the office - it was a historically rough one, especially on the boards.
Louisville pulled down a staggering 59 rebounds, tying the most Tennessee has ever allowed in a single game. That mark hadn’t been touched since South Carolina grabbed the same number back in February 2022, also against a Lady Vols team coached by Kellie Harper.
That game ended in a 67-53 loss. Saturday’s margin?
Even wider.
The Cardinals didn’t just dominate the glass - they turned those rebounds into real damage. Seventeen of their boards came on the offensive end, leading to 24 second-chance points. That’s the kind of stat that turns a competitive game into a blowout.
Elif Istanbulluoglu led the rebounding charge with 14 boards, while Imari Berry added 13 of her own. Two more Cardinals chipped in with eight rebounds apiece, showcasing a complete team effort on the glass. Tennessee, meanwhile, struggled all night to find bodies and finish possessions.
After the game, assistant coach Samantha Caldwell didn’t sugarcoat it.
“I think for us, in the defensive rebound, we tried to make an adjustment at halftime, and didn’t look like it,” Caldwell said. “We weren’t matched up.
So when you’re not matched up, you can’t find a body, you can’t find a body, you can’t box them out. That’s part of it.
And the other part of it, they just ran right through us about it.”
That quote says it all. Tennessee wasn’t just out-rebounded - they were outworked and out-positioned. Louisville’s players weren’t sneaking in for rebounds; they were crashing the glass with purpose, and Tennessee didn’t have an answer.
With the loss, the Lady Vols fall to 7-3 on the season. All three defeats have come against ranked teams at the time - UCLA, NC State, and now Louisville.
But it’s not just the losses - it’s how they’ve looked. The defeats to UCLA and Louisville were both by 20+ points, and the close loss to NC State has lost some of its shine now that the Wolfpack have dropped out of the AP Poll.
The one major bright spot on the résumé so far? A gritty road win at Stanford, a team that was just outside the rankings at the time. Aside from that, Tennessee’s wins have come against mid-major opponents - games they’re expected to win.
Now, there’s one more chance to tighten things up before the real grind begins. The Lady Vols will host Southern Indiana on Dec. 22 in Knoxville, a final non-conference tune-up before SEC play kicks off.
That SEC opener comes quickly - Jan. 1 against Florida, right back at home. If Tennessee wants to make noise in the conference this season, it starts with cleaning up the fundamentals. That means boxing out, matching up, and bringing the kind of physicality that’s expected from a program with this kind of pedigree.
Because if Saturday showed anything, it’s that effort and execution on the glass can make or break a game - and right now, Tennessee has some serious work to do.